Community Forums

**NLOVNIT** · 11-22-2015, 08:42 PM

I've read a lot of threads praising tile in coaches. I don't get it. Yes, I can see getting rid of the cheap carpet mfr's have used for years as it's hard to keep clean. Is tile a decorating trend/phase the mfr's are going through?

1. It's heavy
2. It's prone to cracking
3. It can be uneven due to backing or mis-grouting
4. It's cold (unless there's under-tile heating)
5. The shiny, super-gloss finishes I see in coaches now show every spec of dust & have to be protected from damage from slides & those protectors are UGLY!

I've read the posts about Newmar having issues with overweight front axles. Is that because they're putting tile in the slides now?

With all that, what makes tile so great? I can see it used in a S&B since that isn't something that rolls, bounces & flexes down our sadly-in-need-of-repair interstate system. It doesn't make sense to me in an RV.

I've seen many upgrade posts with photos of beautiful wood or engineered wood floors. Why isn't that an option for RV mfr's?

What am I missing?

Lori-

stink · 11-22-2015, 08:52 PM

I agree! If I ordered a new coach I would want a real good carpet!!

slowmachine · 11-23-2015, 02:49 AM

We have a combination of ceramic tile and carpet. The carpet stains easily and retains odors. The tile is brittle, weighs a lot, and is easy to clean. We would gladly replace both of them with engineered wood and/or vinyl tile. I'm leaning toward the vinyl tile, so you know the wife wants wood. As much as we dislike the carpet, it is easier to install on curved surfaces than anything else, and it provides some level of insulation against heat and noise.

Mike
2000 Holiday Rambler Endeavor 40PBD
Freghtliner XC, CAT 3126B

Ernie Ekberg · 11-23-2015, 05:44 AM

A square foot of tile weighs close to 5 pounds- depending on what type of tile. Engineered wood, weighs far less. I remove more tile in coaches and substitute it with engineered wood.

nothermark · 11-23-2015, 05:55 AM

Count us clearly in the vinyl/engineered wood camp. Adding a lot of weight to get a heavy, cold, brittle, did I say heavy, floor makes no sense.

ChallengerRN · 11-23-2015, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ernie Ekberg

A square foot of tile weighs close to 5 pounds- depending on what type of tile. Engineered wood, weighs far less. I remove more tile in coaches and substitute it with engineered wood.

So how hard is it to pull up the tile that is there. And can the wood get back under cabinets & such to look as factory??

Russell

TheArnolds · 11-23-2015, 06:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ernie Ekberg

A square foot of tile weighs close to 5 pounds- depending on what type of tile. Engineered wood, weighs far less. I remove more tile in coaches and substitute it with engineered wood.

My coach came with tile (mat finish) and my wife likes it 100% better then the carpet we had in our previous coach because it is easier to care for. I do not have a weight issue but if I needed to replace the tile, cracking, etc. I would go to an engineered wood for ease of installation, maintenance, upkeep, and general appearance.

Because it is cold we use several throw rugs so I am not placing my feet on a cold tile next to the bed and sofas. I wear slipper or socks most of the time.

smlranger · 11-23-2015, 06:31 AM

Lori, agree with you. Our coach has a lot of tile and I suspect it is due to the under floor heating grid which I assume works best with tile. I would have preferred some of the luxury vinyl plank flooring. We just put some Mannington Adura in our stick house and the stuff is beautiful.

I realize folks have different tastes and preferences. However, I do believe many of the complaints we read about RV's, especially class A motorhomes, are related to the plethora of complex features many buyers demand.

I remember a conversation with Joe K at the Ohio rally where we agreed that if we (buyers) continue to expect a motorhome to be just like our stick house, we were all asking for trouble.

mohamer · 11-23-2015, 06:35 AM

Don't buy no tile!!

Selah · 11-23-2015, 06:40 AM

Two years full time and 19K+ miles with no sign of cracking. Easy to clean and the heated floor is awesome. Fully loaded with full fuel and water we are significantly under GVWR.
I really like ours and would get them again. However I have been in a coach that had engineered wood flooring and it looked great as well. I'm not sure why builders are not at least offering that as an option.

ChallengerRN · 11-23-2015, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mohamer

Don't buy no tile!!

Good thought. I guess. Tile is for sure beautiful. But very hard to keep clean. Will show dust easy.
Ours is a love/hate issue. Lol. Love it just after we polish it. Not so much the next day. Ha

Russell

Hikerdogs · 11-23-2015, 06:45 AM

Our last coach came with carpeting throughout. As mentioned by others it could be stained, any liquids spilled on it would soak in, it needed to be vacuumed almost daily, it held odors, and it needed to be cleaned almost every time we used the coach.
Our current coach has vinyl flooring in all areas except the bedroom and cab area. It is a little cooler on the bare feet, but only needs to be swept and mopped to keep it clean. We much prefer the convenience of the vinyl flooring to the maintenance needed to keep the carpet in presentable condition.

Tom N · 11-23-2015, 07:37 AM

We always remove our shoes. We like carpet.

-Tom

AFChap · 11-23-2015, 09:15 AM

We have tile & carpet. The carpet costs me $100-$200 per year for annual cleaning. I absolutely wish the entry way were tile rather than carpet. Our tile is not shiny. It is very durable, easy to care for, and has had no cracking problems in 100k miles of travel. I would prefer to have a good wood everywhere except the entry ...but DW prefers carpet to either wood or tile.